Mendez leads GES’ five outstanding employees for school year 2011-2012

 Garapan Elementary School principal Paulette Sablan and vice principal Leila Yumul recently led the school’s staff and students in honoring five personnel who will represent the school in the overall search for the Public School System’s outstanding employees.

GES teacher Melissa Mendez was voted by her peers as this school year’s Teacher of the Year, the third time she has been honored with the award. An alumna of the Mallards, Melissa has been serving her alma mater for seven years since she began teaching in 2004. A true teacher by heart, she pursued her degree at Northern Marianas College to fulfill her dream to become an educator.

“This is the third time for me but, like the first time.I am really happy for the vote of confidence they have given me. I thank them for recognizing my hard work,” she told Saipan Tribune.

This year’s Teacher of the Year awardee is a fourth grade mentor and a mother of two. She says being a teacher encompasses different roles and expertise. “When you are a teacher, you also serve as a mother and father to all your children. You also serve as their doctor sometimes and their counselor every day. The development of their personality, character, and well-being start in school and we, teachers, play an important role.”

Melissa will vie for the overall PSS Teacher of the Year title and if chosen, will represent the Commonwealth at the national level, with the opportunity to meet U.S. President Barrack Obama.

GES bestowed its Teacher Aide of the Year award on Walter Mendez, a 30-year-old father of two. Mendez has served the school’s special education program for six years. He recently obtained his degree at NMC and is now a classroom teacher.

“This is my first time to be selected and I am really flattered knowing that my co-workers feel that I did a good job. I am so happy for this honor,” he said, describing his job as fun and a learning experience.

He believes that the experiences he gained as a teacher aide for many years will make him an effective classroom teacher.

Derwin Johnson was named as this year’s GES Counselor of the Year. He started out as a classroom teacher for GES in 2005 and became a counselor last year, making this school year his second year in the position. This was his first time to be selected for the honor. Prior to completing his degree at NMC, Johnson was previously enrolled in the University of Guam’s counselor program. He obtained his master’s degree from Framingham University.

Johnson is the sole counselor at GES, mentoring a total of 852 students and their teachers.

When asked what motivated him to become an educator, he said: “During my freshman college years, I observ[ed] great teachers in action. I was inspired not only by the dedication and passion of these teachers but most importantly, moved by the responses and enthusiasm that was evident in the conversations and actual work that the students were engaged with,” he said, adding that he saw himself in that capacity and believes that he too can inspire and bring about change.

Matilde Diaz was named the school’s Librarian of the Year. She has been serving GES for 18 years since 1994 and has already been twice named as the school’s Support Staff of the Year when the librarian position was still under this category.

This was the first time she was selected for the Librarian of the Year category. “I am overjoyed. It [recognition] was unexpected and I am very thankful for the recognition,” Diaz said.

This year’s Support Staff of the Year is Marcelo Acera, a maintenance worker for 16 years. This year marks his second time to receive the honor. The 56-year-old staffer is father to five children.

Acera describes his work as going beyond the mere maintenance of GES facilities and he makes sure to avail of the workshops offered by PSS for support staff so he could be effective in his role.

Principal Sablan said that all five awardees deserve the honor as they have all demonstrated excellence in their respective fields. “They’ve been here for many years and these years are testaments to their dedication and effectiveness. They really work hard and they deserve to be recognized. We’re very proud of them.”